Combined bench and advertising device



A. C. WEISS COMBINED BENCH AND ADVERTISING DEVICE June W 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1953 .INVENTOR (IOMEINED BENCH AND ADVERTISING 'DEVICE Alexander C. Weiss, Glassmanor, Md.

Application November 10, 1953, Serial No. 391,337 6 Claims. (Cl. 155-191) My invention relates to a combined bench and advertising device.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an outdoor device of the above mentioned character which is rugged and durable in construction, and therefore capable of substantially permanent outdoor installation while exposed to the elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character adapted to be made from molded plastics material, or the like, and embodying novel and simplified means for firmly anchoring the same to the ground, so that it will be practically impossible for vandals to move the device.

A further object is to provide a combined device of the above mentioned character, made of the fewest possible number of parts, constructed and arranged for displaying a plurality of advertisements arranged upon various surfaces or panels of the device.

Another object is to provide an advertising bench having parts formed of a plurality of layers or laminations, between certain of which the advertisement bearing medium is placed and molded so that it becomes a part of the laminated structure, and is permanently protected from the elements, etc.

A further object is to provide combined device of the above mentioned character which is designed to pro vide a maximum number of panels or surfaces capable of bearing advertisements, the device being highly simplified in construction, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts througout the same,

Figure l is a front perspective view of an advertising bench embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a similar view of the device with the top section thereof removed and shown in broken lines above the lower section,

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the bench, partly in central vertical section,

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the bench,

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 5--5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional detail through a wall or panel of the bench having advertising medium molded or laminated therein. l typical of all cross sections through the various udis carrying the advertisements.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustrati n is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, numeral lit designates generally a lower or base section of a combined bench and advertising device. The section it) is preferably unitary in construction, and preferably formed of molded thermosetting plastic materials, reinforced with woven glass fabric, or the like. I prefer to form the base section 16 from a plurality of 2,711 ,Ybfi Patented June 28, 1955 layers or laminations made up of woven glass fabric, or the like, impregnated and saturated with a suitable polyester resin which is thermosetting, so that upon the application of heat and pressure, the walls of the lower section it) will be bonded together and form a homogeneous structure which is rigid, very tough and durable. it should be understood however that the lower section it) may be formed of other suitable thermosetting plastic materials, with or without the reinforcing glass fibers,-

as found desirable.

The base section 10 comprises a substantially horizontal seat portion 11 of considerable length, and provided at its forward side with a depending vertical skirt l2, integral therewith, and extending throughout its entire length. A generally vertical somewhat inclined back or rear portion 1?: is formed integral with the rear side of the seat portion ii, and extends above the same for a substantial distance and throughout its entire length. Generally vertical end or arm portions 14 are integrally secured to the back 13 and seat portion ll, and project above the seat portion for a considerable distance, as shown. The top of the back 13 carries a horizontal longitudinal flange or extension 15, integral therewith, and having a short upturned extension 16 integrally secured thereto, and extending throughout the entire length of the flange 3.5 and back 13.

Near the opposite ends of the base section it), the same is provided with a pair of depending hollow legs or projections 17, of considerable breadth, longitudinally of the seat portion ll, and also extending for the major portion of the width of the seat portion. The hollow legs 17 have their upper and lower ends open, so that they are substantially tubular, and the upper ends of the legs open through the seat portion ll, as indicated in Figure 2. The legs 17 are rectangular in horizontal cross section, and taper downwardly so as to form truncated pyramids, and the legs comprise integrally connected downwardly converging sidewalls l8 and 19, as shown. The lengths or heights of the legs 17 are such as to render the device comfortable for use by an adult as a bench or chair.

I provide means for firmly anchoring the base section it) to the ground, in a substantially permanent manner. Such means comprises lower truncated pyramidal concrete blocks or slabs 20 of concrete, poured into openings in the ground after excavation. and having their tops flush with the ground, Figure 5. Anchoring plates 21 embedded within the concrete slabs 2% have openings 22, receiving vertical bolts or shafts 23, which project above the ground for a considerable distance, inside of the hollow legs 37. The lower ends of the bolts 23 are screw threaded, and carry nuts 24, arranged be low the plates 2i, as shown, and the bolts 23 and nuts 24 are likewise embedded within the concrete 21).

After formation of the concrete slabs 20, holding the anchoring plates 21 and bolts 23, the base section. it) is placed over the slabs 2%, with the bolts projecting into the hollow legs 17 and arranged centrally therein. The lower ends of the legs :17 now rest upon the ground, adjacent to the tops of the slabs 2b, as shown. The upper ends of the bolts 153 are also screw threaded, for carrying pairs of nuts 25, and an additional apertured anchoring plate 26 is received by the upper end of each bolt 23, and is held between the 25, as shown. The plates 26 are thus located centrally within the hollow legs 17. Concrete 27 is now poured into the tops of the hollow legs 1'7 and substar vly fills the same, completely enclosing the nuts 25 and anchoring plate 26 within concrete. The arrangement forms inverted truncated pyramidal blocks in opposed relation to the pyramidal blocks 29, previously fOl'i'ilCd. This construction securely locks and anchors the base section 10 of the batch to the ground, so that it is substantially immova e.

The bench further comprises a detachable top section 28, also unitary in construction, and formed like the base section of molded laminated reinforced thermosetting plastics material, or the like. The top section 28 comprises a substantially horizontal seat portion 29, adapted to rest upon and cover the seat portion 11, and substantially co-extensive therewith. The top section 28 further comprises a forward depending vertical skirt 30, integral with the seat portion 29, and extending over the forward face of the skirt l2, and rigidly secured thereto by means of screws 31 or the like. The screws 31 are forwardly dlreeted through openings in the vertical flange 12, and ternnnate rearwardly of the forward face of the skirt 30, Flgure 5, so as to be invisible from the forward side of the bench.

The top section 28 further comprises a generally vertical inclined back portion 32 integral with the seat portion 29, and engaging the forward face of the back 13 and covering the same. The back portion 32 extends somewhat above the horizontal flange and extension 16, and carries a rear relatively short depending skirt or flange 33, integral therewith, engaging the rear face of the extension 16, and rigidly secured thereto by forwardly directed screws 34 or the like. The back portion 32 and depending skirt 33 are integrally connected by end walls 35 which serve to conceal the ends of the flange 15 and extension 16, see Figure 1. The upper section 28 further comprises generally vertical end or arm sections 36, integral therewith, having rolled over tops 37 which overlay and conceal the tops of the arm portions 14. The horizontal seat portion 29 of course covers and conceals the open tops of the hollow legs 17.

Several surfaces or panels of my bench are adapted to bear advertising indicia, namely the forward depending skirt 30, rear skirt 33, back portion 32, and the back portion 13 below the skirt 33. These portions of the bench are generally flat, and extend continuously throughout the length of the bench and present adequate areas for advertisements.

As previously mentioned, the bench is preferably formed from laminated reinforced plastics material, and this construction is illustrated in detail in Figure 6 of the drawings, which shows three layers or laminations 38, 39 and 40. The construction shown in Figure 6 is typical of the construction of all walls or portions of the sections 10 and 28, and the multiple layer construction has not been shown in Figure 5, for the purpose of simplification of illustration, the various walls shown in cross section being too thin to render it practical to illustrate the preferred laminated construction. In Figure 6, an advertisement bearing medium 41, such as a sheet of onion skin paper, blotting paper, non-woven cotton,

scrim, or the like, having an advertisement printed thereon is arranged between the foreward or outermost layer 40 and the intermediate layer 39. This medium or layer 41 is arranged between the layers 39 and 49 prior to bonding them together with neat and pressure, and when this is done, the layer 41 becomes a permanent part of the molded laminated construction. The reinforced plastic layers 4% are sutficiently transparent to render the advertisement on the layer 41' clearly visible from the forward side of the layer 40, and the visibility of the plastics material is increased by the application of proper pressure to the layers.

In the drawings, the advertisement bearing layer 41 is illustrated in its proper assembled pos1t1on at the several previously mentioned surfaces or walls of the bench, and the layers 41 may be substan-- tially co-extensive with the skirts 3t) and 33 and back arranged forwardmost in the walls 32 and 30 of Figure 5.

The layers 41 of the walls 33 and 13, Figure 5, are viewed from the rear of the bench, and in these walls, the layer 40, Figure 6, is arranged rearmost, to facilitate viewing the advertisement upon the layers 41.

I also provide means for illuminating the advertisement on the layer 41, contained within the depending flange 33. Such means comprises a fluorescent light tube or bulb 42, mounted upon the horizontal flange 15, between .the skirt 33 and back portion 32, Figure 5. The bulb 42 may be supplied with current through a wire 43, in turn connected with a suitable electrical outlet 44. This arrangement will fully illuminate the advertisement carried by the rear skirt 33, and will illuminate to a lesser degree the advertisement carried by the back portion 32. If preferred, the illuminating feature may be omitted entirely, and the same will be practical only when my bench is installed near a suitable source of electricity.

It is thus seen that I have provided a combined bench and advertising device for outdoor use, capable of a wide variety of applications, such as in public parks, playgrounds, picnic areas along highways and the like. The advertisement bearing medium 41 is permanently sealed inside of the reinforced laminated plastic walls of the bench, and thus protected from the elements. The device should be substantially permanent, once installed, and in quantity may be manufactured rather cheaply.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I. claim:

1. An outdoor bench or the like comprising a base section having generally shape of a chair including seat and back portions, a hollow leg dependingly secured to the seat portion and opening therethrough at its upper end and having its lower end open and adapted to rest upon the ground, said hollow leg tapering downwardly toward the ground, a concrete mass disposed within and substantially filling the hollow leg, anchoring means embedded within the concrete mass and adapted to extend below the bottom of the hollow leg and to be embedded within concrete or the like within the ground below the hollow leg, and a cover section for the bench having generally the shape of a chair including a back and seat portion mounted upon the base section and secured thereto, said seat portion of the cover section covering the open top of said hollow leg.

2. An outdoor bench comprising a unitary molded base section having generally the shape of a chair including back and seat portions, hollow legs dependingly secured to the seat portion and-opening therethrough at their tops and having their lower ends opening, said hollow legs having side walls which converge downwardly, the hollow legs being adapted to receive a mass of concrete for substantially filling the same and anchoring means embedded within the concrete for attaching thebase section to the ground, and a unitary molded cover section for the bench having generally the shape of a chair and including back and seat portions which are substantially coextensive with the back and seat portions of the base section, the seat portion of said cover section extending over and covering the open tops of the hollow legs.

3. An outdoor bench or the like comprising a'unitary base ,section shaped'generally like a chair and having back and seat portions, spaced depending hollow legs integrally secured to the seatporti'on and opening therethrough at their upper ends and having their lower ends open, the'hollow legs having downwardly converging side walls and being adapted to receive through their open tops a mass of concrete or the like for anchoring the base section to the ground, a unitary cover section mounted upon the base section and having generally the shape of a chair and being substantially coextensive with the base section and including back and seat portions, the seat portion of the cover section covering the open tops of the hollow legs, and means for detachably securing the cover section to the base section.

4. An outdoor advertising bench comprising a unitary base section having generally the shape of a chair including back and seat portions and legs, means for anchoring the legs of the base section to the ground, a unitary cover section for the base section having generally the shape of a chair including back and seat portions which are substantially coextensive with the back and seat portions of the base section and mounted upon the base section, means for detachably securing the cover section to the base section, and a sheet bearing advertising indicia enclosed within said back portion of the cover section and visible therethrough, the back portion of the cover section being formed at least in part of material which is transparent.

5. An outdoor advertising bench comprising a base section having generally the shape of a chair including back and seat portions and adapted to be anchored to the ground, a cover section mounted upon the base section and separate therefrom and having generally the shape of a chair including back and seat portions and formed of laminated transparent plastics material, and a sheet bearing advertising indicia disposed bodily between adjacent laminations in the back portion of said cover section and visible from the rear side of the bench.

6. A combined outdoor bench and advertising device comprising a base section having generally the shape of a chair including back and seat portions and adapted to be anchored to the ground, a unitary cover section of laminated light transmitting plastics material arranged upon the base section and having generally the shape of a chair including back and seat portions which are substantially co-extensive With the back and seat portions of the base section, a sheet carrying advertising indicia disposed between adjacent laminations of the back portion of said cover section and visible therethrough, and means for detachably securing the cover section to the base section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 783,452 Morenus Feb. 28, 1905 886,877 Serrier May 5, 1908 948,770 Price Feb. 8, 1910 1,223,576 Gartrell Apr. 24, 1917 2,053,873 Niederhofer Sept. 8, 1936 2,523,290 Gardner Sept. 26, 1950 2,572,482 Hoven et al. Oct. 23, 1951 2,659,422 Holland Nov. 17, 1953 

